Test and wire-connector.



'No. 834,669. PATENTED-IOGT. so, 1906. W. A. FRIGKE.

TEST AND WIRE CONNECTOR.

APPLICATION FILED 00124, 1904.

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U ITED STATES 1 PATENT oFFIoE.

WILLIAM A. FRICKE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

TEST AND WIRE-CONNECTOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. so; 1906.

Application fileq October 24, 1904'. Serial No. 229,729

To all whom it mag/concern.- I

Be it known that I, WILLIAM A. FRIoKE, a citizenof the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Test and Wire-Connector, of which the following is a specification.

My invention'relates to. a test and-wireconnector for connecting electrically and mechanically two or more wires for conveying electrical currents, the object being to provide a test and Wire-connector, first, that will clamp two or more wires of the same or different sizes in a secure position for ordinary use; second, that can be easily and quickly opened without injuring the connector for testln or other purposes; third, that will serve eit er forconnecting together wires from as large as is used to as small as is used in ordinary telephone or telegra h construction ;-fourth,

- that can be applie to joincontinuous wires,

awire end to a continuous wire, or two or more wire ends; fifth, that will hold wires securely in position and prevent them from sli ping or working out of position, due to vi rations or any other cause, and, sixth, that will be very simple and of few parts, cheap in cost to manufacture, and durable and eflicient in operation. v

My invention is especially applicable to telephone and telegraph wires at points *Where it is desirable totest the same from time to time either by opening the main line or by merely connectin the test-wires thereto or where it is desired to connect a branch wire to a continuous main wire, as is fre uent in telephone practice. Two 'main telep one- "or telegraph wires to be connected in this manner wlll'u'sually be of the same size, No.

12 (diameter .104 inch) and No. 14 (diameter .080 inch) being the two sizes of wire commonlyused in telephone construction. In case of legging? abranch wire to a continuous-main-line telephone-wire the main line will ordinarily be No. 12, and the branch wire No. 14in size. I a Heretofore several styles of connectors have been used for the purpose of joining wires; -One of these is what is known as -'sleeve-joint, consistin of a single or double tube, which must be s 'pped over the ends of the wires and is therefore not applicable to a continuous wire to which a branch is to be connected. Another form which may be more enerally a plied is of sheet-co per made S-shaped cross-section. Bot of it is desired to open the connection.

these forms must be twisted to establish good contact and must therefore be injured when These forms must also be suited to the particular size of wire to beused.

Other forms of connectors now in use are objectionable on account'of beingyable to grip but two wires and not being able to connect at once two or more wires of different sizes.

My invention is designed to overcome the difliculties mentioned, and preferably consists of three or more metal plates having in the top plate 'a groove and on the lower plates ot er grooves, preferably one on each side, and in which the wires are clamped and firmly held by a screw bolt or stud fastened to the per plate and passing through the other u plates over the wires and being locked in osition by a nut. A second nut can be use as a lock, if referable. The arrangement ,of the screw-. olt or stud which passes through the plates and over the wires, as hereinafter described, renders the clamp applicable to any two or more wires of the same or different dlameters, totwo or more continuous wires, to the connection of one or more we ends to a continuous wire, and to the joining of two or more wire" ends.

The device is capable of easy disconnectlon for the purposes of electrical testing or pulling up S1 of wires or can be entirely removed and utilized again. It is of advantage in the art of telephone and telegraph line construction to have one article applicable to these common uses. The use of my device is not limited, however, to'telephone and tele graph wires, as described, but is adapted to Figure 1 is atop plan view of one form of the invention, showing a large and a small wire clamped therein. Fig. 2 is aside elevational view of the same. Fig. 3 is a similar view of a'slightly-modified form, showing twolarge wires therein. Fig. 4 is a side ICS view of the same device as in Fig. 3, but clamping two small Wires. Fig. 5 is an end view of the device of Figs. 1 and 2. Figs. 6 and 7 are transverse sectional views of the devices of Figs. 3 and 4. 'Fig. 8 is a detail View of the detached parts of the device of Figs. 1 and 2. Fig. 9 is a similar view of the device of Figs. 3 and 4. Fig. 10.is a side view of a modified form of the invention, and Fig. 11 is a similar View of still another form.

Referring firstto Figs. 1, 2, 5, and 8, the device comprises atop plate 2 and other plates, such as 3 and 4, in any desired number, according to the number of wires that it is desired to connect. The plates are provided upon their adjacent faces with centrally-disposed longitudinal grooves 5, in which the wires 6 and 7 are adapted to lie when the plates are clamped thereon.v For the purpose of thus clamping these several plates together and upon the wires a screwbolt 8, having a head'9 and a nut 1 0 and pro-- vided with a slot 1 1, passes through suitablyformedapertures 12 in said plates, asshown, the said slots being of; suflicient width to straddle the largest wires to be encountered in practice. When the nuts are tightened, the plates 2, 3, and 4 are clamped upon the Wires 6 and 7, which are held in the same plane by the grooves 5 in the opposed faces of the plates. The tongue of'the plates passing through the slot in the bolt keeps the lates from turning upon the bolt and also lieeps the two parts of the bolt from springing together when the nut is tightened. A slot 13in the head of the bolt permits the use of a screw-driver, if such is desired. The groove in the outer face of plate 4 isunnecessary unless additionalplates are added, so that the device can accommodate'more Wires but by making all such plates alike no trouble is .caused by the necessity of selecting the proper plates to be used.

In Figs. 3, 4, 6, 7, and 9'the separate clamping-bolt is replaced by the screw-stud 8, fixed The wires are preferably he I y secured in any desired way to the top plate 2, the saidstud then passing throu h the other plates 3 and 4 and receiving t e .nut' 10 upon its outer end, which when tightened firmly clamps the wires in position. As shown in Fig.1, two or more wires of different sizes may be clamped together, or,

as'in Figs. 3 and 4, two or more wires of the same or of any desired size may be connected and all Without any chan e in the device.

id in parallel relation in the same planethat is, not end to end oralined, but with ends overlapping-pr, as has been explained, two or more continuous wires may be connected. The device is extremely simple in construction and operation and eflicient, as the wires are firmly held in ood electrical and mechanical contact. S ould the device become accidenvided with two or more bolts 8, the grooves 5 in this instance running transversely of the plates- It will be understood that additional plates having cooperating bolt-apertures and transverse grooves are employed with the plate 2, the same as in the previous figures.

- Fig. 11 shows the. threaded-stud idea a plied to this same form of connector, t e plate 2 having a plurality ofstuds 8 fastened thereto and the transverse grooves 5 formed therein. The manner. of using the device is obvious.

While the connector may be made of any suitable metal, it is desirable to have the plates made of the same metal as the wire to be joined and that the whole be reasonably non-corrosive. For cop er wire, as heretofore indicated, it is pre erable to make the connector with copper plates and a brass bolt and nut. Cheaper metals, plated or otherwise protected against corrosion, may, however, be'used.

While the invention'has been described with particular reference to the details of construction, I would have it understood that it is not to be limited thereto, as it is a parent to those skilled in the art to which t e invention appertains that many changes, alterations, and modifications may be made vtherein and still come within its scope .and

principle; but

What I do claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a'wire-connector,.the combination with a plurality of adjacent plates constructed and arranged to receive a single one of a plurality of unalined wires betweenv the adjoining faces of each air of plates, and contact with said wire t oughout the median dimension of said plates, of a single means for clamping all of said plates together upon said wires; substantially as described.

2. .In awire-connector, the combination with a plurality of adjacent perforated plates constructed to receive a plurality of continuous wires between .them, of a bifurcated member adapted to pass through said plates and astride said wires, a single clamping means for securing all ofsaid platesand wires and means for preventing the .bifiurcatedmember from'springing out-of contact with the clamping means; substantially as de-' scribed.

3. In a wire-connector, the combination with .a plurality of plates grooved on their adjacent faces, some of said plates being proed with non-circular perforations, ,of.a slotted connecting member constructed to,

them, of a connecting member, passing through said (plates, a single means for clamping al of sai plates and wires together, and means for preventing the turnmg of said plates on said connecting member; substan tially as described. r

5. In a wire-connector, the combination with a plurality of adjacent perforated plates adapted to receive wires, between them, a bifurcated connectin member adapted to pass through said p ates and to receive a plurality of unalined wires between its prongs, and clamping means for said plates and wires, said plates having tongues extending between the prongs of the connecting member, to prevent said plates from turning upon said member; substantially as described.

I 6. Ina wire-connector, the combination ofa slotted connecting member, a plurality tively connected to sai the combination 1 arrange and a plurallty of unalined wires, and means of plates each provided with paired perforations, separated by an integral tongue arranged to pass into the slot of said connecting member and to receivewires between said tongues, and clam in means operas otted member; substantially as described. 7. In a wire-connector, the combination of a pluralityof intermediately-tongued, perforated lates, a slotted conne'ctingmember d to receive the tongues of said plates for clamping said plates and wiresv in said slot; substantially as described.

' 8. In a wire-connector, the combination with a lurality of plates having grooves on theiradiiacent faces adapted to receive continuous wires of different sizes and paired perforations, one on each side of said grooves, of a bifurcated connecting member passing through said perforations, and a single means for clamping-said plates and wires; substantially as described.

In witnesswhereof I hereunto subscribe my name in the presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM A. FRICKE. Witnesses:

EDITH F. GRIER, ROBERT Lnwrs AMES. 

